Transfer slide assembly and system

Abstract

A transfer slide is used in a conveyor system to advance a trolley from one position to another position and includes a body fixed to a free end of a rail and has a cavity formed substantially throughout its length. The body has longitudinally extending surfaces spaced apart from one another by an opening communicating with the cavity which surfaces provide a rolling surface upon which a trolley travels. A slide is received within the cavity of the body and reciprocates within the body in response to the reciprocating movements of an actuator means connected with the slide. The slide has a pusher device extending upwardly from the body and above the rail and which pusher device is engageable with the trolley to push it from the initial position to a final position.

We claim: 
     
       1. A transfer slide assembly for advancing a trolley from one position to another position comprising: an elongate body having a longitudinal axis extending along the elongate extent of said body, said body being fixable to a support and having a cavity formed in said body parallel with said longitudinal axis;   said body having longitudinally extending spaced apart surfaces and having an opening extending substantially with said cavity and communicating between said surfaces and said cavity, each of said surfaces being positioned along either side of said cavity opening;   a slide received within said cavity and being moveable longitudinally along said longitudinal axis relative to said body;   means for moving said elongate slide relative to said body; and   pusher means extending from said slide for engaging with a trolley to advance it from said one position to said other position.   
     
     
       2. A transfer slide assembly as defined in claim 1 further characterized by said pusher means having a face extending upwardly beyond said body for engaging said trolley; and wherein said body is integrally formed with a rear portion and the length of said body and rear portion combined is longer than that of said slide.   
     
     
       3. A transfer slide assembly as defined in claim 1 further characterized by said pusher means having a face extending upwardly beyond said body; and said pusher means has two side surfaces each symmetrically disposed about said longitudinal axis and tapering from said face toward one end of said slide.   
     
     
       4. A transfer slide assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said slide has formed along its lower end a dovetail extending substantially along the length of said slide; said cavity having a generally U-shaped configuration in cross section and defining two spaced apart surfaces separated by a cavity bottom surface;   each of said two spaced part surfaces having an outwardly protruding angled portion extending along said body parallel to said longitudinal axis; and   said dovetail being positioned between said bottom surface and said angled portions when said slide is received within said cavity.   
     
     
       5. A transfer slide assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said body has two laterally extending arm portions each defined by the intersection of one of said longitudinally extending surfaces with a surface underlying each of said arm portions; and wherein each of said longitudinally extending surfaces also intersects with an upwardly extending body portion to form an angle therebetween.   
     
     
       6. A transfer slide assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said slide has two side walls each having outwardly extending guides being oriented along each of said slide side walls and extending parallel with said body longitudinal axis; and said cavity having a generally U-shaped configuration in cross section and defining two spaced apart cavity side walls each having longitudinally extending recesses corresponding generally in size and in shape to said guides for receiving each of said guides within each of said cavity side walls.   
     
     
       7. A transfer slide assembly as defined in claim 6 wherein said guides are formed on portions of said slide adjacent said pusher means and said pusher means is generally oriented at one end of said slide; said slide having a depending portion positioned at the slide other end and having a through opening formed adjacent its lower end; and   wherein said slide depending portion is connected to said means for moving said slide relative to said body.   
     
     
       8. A transfer slide assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said body and said slide each have a depending portion extending substantially parallel with one another; and said means for moving said slide relative to said body being secured to said body at said body depending portion.   
     
     
       9. A transfer slide assembly as defined in claim 8 wherein said means for moving said slide relative to said body is a double acting actuator having a housing and a neck portion at one end, said actuator having a slidable piston rod extending outwardly from said neck portion; said slide depending portion having a through opening formed therein;   said body depending portion having a counterbore extending therethrough, said counterbore having a first diameter for receiving said actuator housing and having a second diameter smaller than said first diameter for receiving said neck portion of said actuator;   said slidable piston rod being received within said opening in said slide depending portion and being secured against relative movement therewith; and   wherein said neck portion is threaded and cooperates with a nut to clamp the body depending portion between said housing and said nut.   
     
     
       10. A transfer slide assembly as defined in claim 6 wherein said body is formed integrally with a rear portion extending along said body longitudinal axis; said rear portion having a generally U-shaped cavity contiguously formed with said cavity in said body and having recesses contiguously formed with each of said recesses in said body side walls; and   wherein said pusher means is positioned adjacent said body rear portion when said transfer slide is in said one position.   
     
     
       11. A transfer slide assembly as defined in claim 2 wherein said body has two upstanding portions contiguous at one end with each of said longitudinally extending spaced apart surfaces and said longitudinally extending spaced apart surfaces on said body are inclined at an angle relative to each of said upstanding portions to form a track; and wherein each of said longitudinally extending spaced apart surfaces are inclined at the same angle.   
     
     
       12. A transfer slide assembly as defined in claim 11 wherein said pusher means face extends upwardly above each of said upstanding portions on said body; and wherein said pusher means face being oriented coincidentally with a vertically extending plane.   
     
     
       13. A transfer slide assembly as defined in claim 6 wherein said pusher means includes a face extending upwardly beyond said body and being inclined at an angle relative to a vertically extending plane; said slide having on each of said side walls an indentation extending substantially longitudinally along each side; and   spring means received within each indentation and extending generally parallel with and beyond said pusher means face.   
     
     
       14. A transfer slide assembly as defined in claim 13 wherein said slide includes an opening extending laterally therethrough and having a transversely extending axis; a slot formed coextensively with said opening and communicating with said slot to provide a passage between said bore and the outer surface of said slide; and   wherein said spring means is a torsion spring having two spaced apart arm portions extending parallel with each of said side walls and being received within said indentations formed on said slide.   
     
     
       15. A transfer slide assembly as defined in claim 14 wherein said torsion spring further includes a loop portion connecting each of said spaced apart arm portions with one another at one end of said spring adjacent said pusher means inclined surface and having a coil connecting each of said arm portions at said spring other end, said coil being received within said laterally extending opening in said slide; and wherein said spring includes a tab portion extending into said slot formed in said slide.   
     
     
       16. A transfer slide as defined in claim 15 wherein each of said arm portions of said spring is pivotable about said transversely extending axis; each of said indentations in said slide side walls having an abutment face for limiting the pivotable movement of each of said arm portions about said transversely extending axis; and   wherein said loop portion is bent such that four parallel spaced apart spring portions engage said pusher means face.   
     
     
       17. In a conveyorized transport system having rails for transporting trolleys from one destination to another, a transfer slide assembly comprising: a rail having an upper surface upon which a trolley rides;   an elongate body having a longitudinal axis and being fixed to free end of said rail, said body having a cavity extending along said body longitudinal axis;   said body having at least two longitudinally extending surfaces spaced apart from one another by an opening communicating with said cavity for providing a track on which a trolley may travel along said body;   a slide received within said cavity and being moveable relative to said body along said longitudinal axis;   said slide having pusher means extending for engaging with said trolley; and   means for moving said slide relative to said body along said longitudinal axis.   
     
     
       18. In a conveyorized transport system, a transfer slide assembly as defined in claim 17 further characterized by said body spaced apart surfaces being positioned along either side of said cavity and each surface being oriented lower than said upper surface of rail; and said pusher means being housed within a longitudinally extending slot formed in said rail free end in its retracted position such that said trolley travels along said rail and over said pusher means and then drops from said rail upper surface onto said longitudinally extending surfaces of said body and is engaged by said pusher means.   
     
     
       19. In a conveyorized trnasport system, a transfer slide assembly as defined in claim 18 wherein said rail at said free end has a cutout along an upper segment thereof and said body is supported by the lower remaining portion of said rail opposite the cutout; said pusher means further including a face extending upwardly beyond both said body longitudinally extending surfaces and said upper surface of said rail; and   guide means carried on said slide adjacent and being cooperative with correspondingly shaped means formed in said body cavity.   
     
     
       20. In a conveyorized transport system, a transfer slide assembly as defined in claim 17 wherein said pusher means includes a pusher face extending upwardly from said slide at an angle relative to a vertically extending plane; said pusher means further including a spring pivotally mounted within said slide and extending beyond pusher surface; and   wherein said means for moving said slide relative to said body is a dual acting actuator.   
     
     
       21. In a conveyorized trnasport system, as defined in claim 17, further characterized by said system including an elevator positioned adjacent said free end of said rail; said elevator having an elevator car movable between a lower position and an upper position, said lower position being adjacent to and in line with body longitudinal axis;   said trolley having an upwardly extending crown and said elevator car defining a split rail having a slot capable of receiving said crown therein; and   said pusher means being engagable with said trolley to advance it from said one position on said body to said another position within said elevator car.   
     
     
       22. In a conveyorized transport system, as defined in claim 21 wherein said elevator car has a depending biasing means positioned within said split rail; said means for moving said slide relative to said body includes a dual acting actuator connector with said slide; and   said pusher means advances said trolley into said split rail of said elevator car and forces said crown against the downward bias of said biasing means.   
     
     
       23. In a conveyorized transport system as defined in claim 22 further characterized by said biasing means positioned within said split rail being a C-shaped leaf spring; and a switch mounted within the split rail of said elevator car and being operable by said leaf spring when said crown is forced against the spring.